by Ginger Philbrick
“I’m in a pickle,” the friend beside me sighed, referring to a decision she had to make. Her announcement brought several thoughts to mind about one of my favorite words—pickle.
Aside from being one of those words that begin with a “P” and make people feel good, like popsicle and party, it figures into the vocabulary of the manners world. For instance, it might save us from embarrassment to know that a cucumber pickle, whether a spear or a chip, may be eaten with the fingers in a casual meal setting. However, if the occasion is semi-formal or formal, it must be eaten with a knife and fork, cutting off two or three pieces at a time. Consumption of other pickled vegetables should follow the same rule. And, it should go without saying that, whether employing hands or utensils, one should never allow the occurrence of a drip!
Of course, the pickle previously referred to by my sighing companion didn’t mean she was in an edible pickle; she was using an ages-old expression to relay the difficulty she was having in determining her next move. The expression of finding oneself in a pickle has been used since the 1500s. It means being in a fixed or preserved state, such as when vegetables are in a brine. The implication is that one is unable, it is hoped temporarily, to decide what action to take. In that context, a pickle usually ranges from mild to spicy, and as a sage friend with whom I was discussing the subject reminded me, pickles can also be sweet—perhaps as when having to choose between two lovers, or cookies.
Years ago, when establishing a format for my table manners classes for children, I seized on the word pickle as being perfect to describe the confusion that my young diners might have as they maneuvered through the etiquette. I still suggest those I teach remember the following when considering what direction to take when both serving plates and passing food: If you’re ever in a pickle when you’re trying to be polite, It may help you to remember, always go from left to right.
If you share my respect for the pickle, whether because you enjoy eating it or because its state of being “fixed” mirrors what you sometimes feel, you may want to take a few moments to honor it with a satisfying chomp on November 14, which is our National Pickle Day.
GingerPhilbrick is the owner of Because You Are Polite LLC. You are invited to email your manners questions to her and she will respond as time and space allow. You may contact her at youarepolite1@gmail.com.
